IT'S Monday evening, your working day's drawing to a close and at last it's time for you.

So here are some essential tips, pulled together by our entertainment and lifestyle experts, to help you best enjoy your downtime - starting right now by recapturing your commute and immersing yourself in Cameron Adams' rock pick of the day.

Di Butler will guide you through her three top TV shows of the night; and let the evening meal become a simple pleasure, with Jana Frawley's recipe for Sticky Spanish Chicken and Rice (if you've already got dinner plans, bookmark this and try it another time).

It's your time - make sure you enjoy it.

IN MUSIC TONIGHT BY CAMERON ADAMS

SYDNEY folkies Boy & Bear have aired their new single - adding a more mature feel to their gentle rock. Southern Son is the first taste of second album Harlequin Dream. It's another polite retro pop/rock number full of harmonies and Fleetwood Mac-style AM radio melodies. The band say Harlequin Dream is "more pop, less folk". The You Tube preview video features clips from the band recording the album in Sydney.

WEST Australian youngsters San Cisco covered Daft Punk's No. 1 hit Get Lucky on Triple J's Like a Version on Friday. Over the weekend it's clocked up 942,00 views. Help get it over the million mark by discovering or reliving their surprisingly funky rendition that also includes a burst of N.E.R.D and Pharrell Williams' Hypnotize U. Plus bongos.

AN ailing Mandawuy Yunupingu got by with a little help from his friends for this performance of his band Yothu Yindi's signature hit Treaty at last year's ARIA Awards. It would sadly be his last major performance, passing away at age 56 after five years battling kidney disease - a major killer amongst indigenous Australians. This moving performance includes guests including Dan Sultan, Jessica Mauboy, Paul Kelly and Peter Garrett as well as INXS's Andrew Farriss.

DI BUTLER ON TV TONIGHT

THE AMERICANS, Channel 10, 9.30pm

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MARGARET Thatcher is arriving with her defence minister tomorrow, and he and America's defence minister Caspar Weinberger are meeting. And so begins a very tense back and forth involving Philip, Elizabeth and Weinberger's maid as they coerce her into bugging his office. Philip reveals himself as very menacing. More than last week, when he went to work on their former KGB friend. But he also has other problems tonight. One is new "girlfriend'', a handily connected beauty. And Stan, the FBI neighbour, develops a key contact. At least he gets some high-grade caviar out of it.

Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys in The Americans.Source:Supplied

THE TRUTH IS? Channel 10, 8.30pm

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TWO colourful stories for Hamish Macdonald's opening night: a "sniper'' school run by Jesse; a war veteran in Arizona who interrupts his shooting to go for a pedicure (pink). Hamish tries to draw Jesse on how he felt when he first killed someone, but he gets nowhere, because Jesse says he never thinks about it. His second story is on Chernobyl and whether it is safe. He should be asking about the vodka.

LYNDEY MILAN'S TASTE OF IRELAND, Lifestyle Food, 7.30pm

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IT'S lamb weather on the West Coast - Connemara black-faced lamb. Lyndey asks Bernard, a local farmer, if Galway is a good place for sheep. "The fox gets a few, the weather gets a few ... that's life.'' James the butcher is less droll, but he spends more time inside smoking meat. His sausages look excellent. For sausages.

TONIGHT'S DINNER BY JANA FRAWLEY, NATIONAL FOOD EDITOR

Was anyone else hurrumphing and guffawing last night when the new MasterChef contestants offered up their family-friendly menu? The first challenge in the shows series launch MasterChef them plating up a full three courses.

For most of us, weeknight dinners are a strictly one course only affair, the fewer pots the better.

So, starting today, we're going to give you a nudge in the right direction and give you a recipe we know ticks the right boxes for every night of the week.

Don't be put off by the longish list of ingredients in this sticky Spanish chicken and rice, because what you spend in measuring time is saved in minimal chopping time.

The honey is another curve ball with its sweet stickiness is the perfect foil to the other spices.

Sticky Spanish chicken and rice. Australian Good Taste ? March 2013. Recipe by Katrina Woodman.Source:Supplied

Sticky Spanish chicken and rice

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Skills: Intermediate

8 (about 1kg) chicken thigh fillets, excess fat trimmed

2 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 long fresh red chilli (optional), finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbs. olive oil

1 lemon, rind finely grated, juiced

1 red onion, finely chopped

300g (1 1/2 cups) basmati rice

750ml (3 cups) water

280g btl mixed chargrilled capsicum, drained, coarsely chopped

150g (1 cup) frozen baby peas

60g (1/3 cup) roasted almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

1 tbs. honey

Combine the chicken, paprika, cumin, chilli, two-thirds of the garlic, 2 tsp oil and one-third of the lemon juice in a bowl. Season.

Heat 1 tbs. of the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and remaining garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Stir in the rice and water. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Cook for 12 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat. Top with capsicum and peas. Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the lemon rind and half the remaining lemon juice. Season. Use a fork to separate the grains. Top with almond and coriander.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, turning, for 6 minutes or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover. Cook, turning once, for 6-8 minutes or until cooked. Add honey and remaining lemon juice. Cook for 1 minute or until glaze thickens. Serve chicken with rice.